Packing device



J. R. WATKINS 'July 11, 1933.

PACKING DEVICE Filed Nov. 2l, 1930 Patented July 11, 1933` UNITED STATES rarlalvi` infrg CHICAGO MILL AND LUMBER 0F DELAWARE PACKING nevica Application filed November 21, 1930.A Serial No. 497,153.

This invention relates `to Apacking devices Vand more .particularly to a construction .for safely and effectively .packing .for -`shipment articles of furniture having highly finished surfaces,such a-s radio and .phonograph cabinets `which require protection against -marring. One object ofthe invention isto provide an easily assembled lpacking device of sturdy yet simple vconstruction which can be cheaply and economically manufactured and, while aording a safeand effective packing construction, at the sametime facilitates the packing operation.

A further object of the invention `is to ,provide a frame to be insertedbetween the sides ofacabinet and the packing case in which it is shipped, which will hold said cabinet inspaced relation to .the sides ofthe packing case and thus prevent marring.

Anotliervobjectof the inventionisto provide a frame or spacing member for .use in .packing highly finished cabinets which may be associated withone wall of a cabinet and 1 which includes means yforengaging a portion of the adjoining walls whereby the .spacing member Visheld in place frictionally, requiring no securing means between'the frame vand .the cabinet nor between the frame and the packingcase in which the cabinet is shipped.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointedout Vin the claims at the endof'the specifications. Y

. In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective View, showing-the frames assembledon a radio cabinet which has been partly inserted intoa packing case;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on line22 of Fig. l; and Y,

F ig. 3 is a perspective view ofthe spacing member removed yfromthe packing case.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate fthe same parts.

The present invention providesa spacing` frame-foruse in packing line articles of vfurniyture-whichmust beprotected in shipping, and is particularly adapted for -use vin packing radio-cabinets of the .type `which has a door,

-stallation or a removable panel in either the front or rear wall throughk which the radio receiving unit :and loud speaker arefinserted for Lin- The invention, as disclosed, comprises essentiallya frame .formed of a plurality-of memberssecured together in such a manner as to space a sidewall ofa cabinetan'dits :nljoiningrfront andrear wall from the surrounding walls of a packing case, the frame also presenting abutment-surfaces, suitably spacedapart adapted to grip thefront and rear-sides of a'cabinet,.leaving only suflicient space between the frame and the cabi-V net forthe insertion of suitable packing materialto preventmarring.

`Referring' more particularly to the draw` ing, .the numeral l2 designates lthe spacing "rame as a whole. This frame'comprises, in the present instance, two pairs ofA mem-4 bers, 24,14: and l5, l5, which arel preferably, but notnecessarily, made of wood.

'.l remembers forming the frame l2 are of 1 a rlength to correspond tothe dimensionsof the cabinet npon whic they are to be assem- Y bled. [in important l.feature of the invention, however, is to correlate thesize of the-packingcase yso that the spacing frame Willsubstantially lit vthe inside of such packingcase whentbe cabinet has been placedtherein.

Vhile the dimensiensof the Wood ,pieces may be varied within wide limits, itis preferable to use frame members having a greater width vthan thickness. v.The width of theV frame members .should be sufficient-to safely spaceH all of the trim of the cabinet from the walls of `tlieyp'acking caselwvhen the frameV members are againstthe nntrimmedfportions ofthe cabinet. f

The various*membersof the frameare preferably arranged as .shownfin Figs. vl and 2,

will engage, respectively a portion of the front and rear sides of the cabinet.

In using the construction of the present .inventioii, a packer will first make up a packing case 10, with one of its sides left off. The packer will then select a frame of the proper size and packing material 13 will be placed on the cabinet 11 so as to be between the frame and the sides of the cabinet. Any other suitable means for protecting the cabinet from the cabinet and thus hold the frame in place While the cabinet is being slid within the packing case. Any Suitable means may be used to protect the top of the cabinet and, in the present instance, boards 16, 16, of suitable dimensions, are utilized. In order to prevent the boards from marring the top of vthe cabinet, additional pieces of packing material 13 are employed between the boards and the cabinet. After the frames have been adjusted on both sides of the cabinet, it is then slid into the packing case with the outer side edges of the cross pieces 15, 15 touching or substantially touching the sides of the packing case.

Any suitable means may be employed for protecting thelegs of the cabinet. A suitable arrangement for this purpose is disclosed iii patent to C. `W. Gerlach, No. 1,694,973, issued December 11, 1928. For simplicity of illustration the legs aie merely shown as resting on the bottom vof the packing case.

. After the cabinet is in place within the packing case the pieces 16, 16 will preferably be inserted. lVliile it is possible, of course, to assemble the pieces 16, 16 with the cabinet before it is slid into the case, it is generally easier to insert these pieces after the cabinet is in place.

After the cabinet has been inserted into the packing case, the case will be closed by nailing on its open side a rear wall, similar in form to the other walls of the case.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the finished surfaces of the cabinet are spaced .from the walls of the packing case, the cabinet is held from rearward movement by the two ,frame members 14, 14 at the rear and by icorresponding members at the fi'ont. The

i cabinet is spaced from each side of the packing case by means of the frame members 15,`

15. It will be noted that the frame members 14, 14 servel the dual purpose of providing abutments for gripping the front and rear walls of the cabinet as well as to provide a means for maintaining the frame members 15, 15 in spaced relation. If desired, abutment means independent of the members 14, 14, can be employed.

This manner of packing a cabinet lends itself particularly well for use with radio cabinets designed to receive replaceable un its. since it is only necessary to remove one wall of the; packing case and then remove the usual panel at the rear of thecabinet (indicated in Fig. 1 at 17) so that access can be had to the interior thereof. Inptliis way a distributor of radio sets may receive cabinets from the cabinet manufacturer and readily assemble in the cabinets the radio receiving units which he has received from a radio receiver unit manufacturer. After the unit has been secured in place within the cabinet the panel is replaced and the rear wall of the ypacking case is then again secured in place to enclose the cabinet. The cabinet, containing the radiov receiving unit is then ready for shipment to the retailer.

Due to the fact that the abutment faces of the spacing frames terminate short of the edge of the panel 17 it is apparent that the frames need not be disturbed in any way while the panel is being removed and replaced. f

When it is desired to unpack the case, either the front or back wall, as desired, is removed. The cabinet may then be slid outwardly from the lpacking case, without any possibility of damaging its finish. The outer side edges of the cross pieces 15, 15, will serve as a guiding means for the cabinet as it is being slid outwardly of thepacking case.

The device of the present invention also lends itself particularly to systems of distribution of cabinets and receiving'unitsin which the receiving units and cabinets are made at distant points and are shipped to a common point for assembly and further distribution tothe retailer. Y Y

The word cabinet7 where used in this specification and in the claims appended hereto is intended to include any article such as furniture and similar objects having a surface which requires to be protected to prevent its being scratched or otlierwisemarred.

/Vhile the present description sets forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, nu-

inerous changes may be made in the construction without departing from the spirit of thel invention, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects `as illustrative and not restrictive,y reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

I claim:

A spacing frame for a cabinet adapted to l -ing a cross-section of greater breadth than thickness and disposed in edgewise relation-V .I

ship between the adjacent Walls of the pack ing case and the cabinet, additional frame members also having a cross-section of greater breadth than thickness, said additional frame 'members being secured in iatWise relationship adjacent the ends of the first mentioned spaced frame members so that the edges of said last mentioned frame members abut respectively against Jhe front and rear Walls of 

